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Pessimism and Doubt, Close Doors!

There is a door that acts as a gateway to many spiritual blessings. Those who have not crossed the threshold of this door may experience a measure of these things, but they will not experience them in fullness.

I am coming up on my 6th spiritual birthday and it has brought to mind memories of what I experienced in the earliest days of my walk with Jesus. I can readily see the areas where I have grown into greater maturity. I can also see how in some areas I seem to have lost something.

For the first couple of years of my new walk with Christ I was what I can only describe as tender. I was often overwhelmed with tears, particularly when I would speak of what God had done in my life. Yet this tenderness has faded with time and I sometimes find myself wondering what happened.

Yesterday I received the answer to my question. It started as my wife and I were driving home. We had been listening to a teaching on thanksgiving and we began to speak in new terms. At first it was mostly having fun as we focused our minds to look at things differently. So rather than saying, “I can’t believe how long that stupid Volkswagen has been in the shop!” it was, “Thank you, LORD, that we have one reliable vehicle.” and “Thank you, Father, that you’ve given us the means to pay the thousands in repair bills.”

Both perspectives are true. My wife’s Volkswagen has been in the shop for about a month now and the amount of money required to fix it after the failure of a 50 cent part is staggering. My perspective has been to focus on how unfair the whole situation is and how costly the repairs are. Yet the other perspective is just as easy to see when we take the time to look… and it is this perspective we are taught in scripture. It is the mindset of thanksgiving. Yes I am facing some trials in this season but my attitude towards them is ultimately my choice.

The same is true in so many areas of our lives. I have flat feet and when I stand for a while they begin to hurt clear up to my knees. I can choose to focus on my flat feet and complain or I can focus on the fact that I have feet and thank God for them. I have a job and a ministry. I can focus on how I have to get up extra early in order to accomplish both or I can thank God that He has given me a calling and a means by which I am able to earn a living. The list goes on but I think you get the point.

So, with all that said, back to the door…

On this side of the door we may experience a measure of praise, worship, faith, grace and joy (just to name a few) but they are overshadowed by negativity. That thing which is missing is thanksgiving. It is the key that opens the door leading to fullness. The fact is that if we cannot thank God for what we have right now, we won’t thank Him for His abundant provision no matter how great it is. Without a heart of thanksgiving we open another door. This door leads to cynicism, negativity and sarcasm. We find ourselves agreeing with the kingdom of darkness rather than walking in God’s marvelous light.

No wonder Paul instructed us to focus on, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

It is impossible to come into agreement in faith with God’s blessings over us when our vision is clouded by pessimism and doubt. Let’s just say that the LORD was showing me that my forecast was progressing towards partly cloudy and this attitude was gradually stealing my joy. So, as my wife and I drove and we began shifting our words, we were coming into agreement with the Kingdom of God. So although we began in jest, the blessings of our own words began pouring out over us.

By the time I reached church and began to worship something happened. TEARS began flowing down my cheeks as I worshiped God. I searched my heart in those moments and it became clear. That morning I came into agreement with heaven’s perspective and the thanksgiving that came with my words was like a key that opened that door. I was now standing on the other side and was tapping into some of the most prized treasures which previously had seemed to fade over time.

So you may be saying at this point, “You don’t understand the struggles I am facing.” True, I don’t. What I do understand is that no matter what you face, like me, you have a choice. Will you come into agreement with the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of the enemy?

In whatever way you think you will speak and in whatever way you speak it will come to pass.

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I sincerely tried to find a song that represented these thoughts better than this song just because it is so well known. Yet this is the one!

The fact is that no matter what we face there are many reasons to thank the LORD and bless His name. Let’s take it beyond the song and into our daily lives.

~ Mitch Salmon

Mitch Salmon is a follower of Jesus Christ and proclaimer of the Good News – The Gospel of Christ Jesus!